"In moments like these, police may try to deescalate, but their very presence (essentially soldiers with guns) is often an escalation by itself. That is exactly what happened tonight. John Penny was triggered by the sirens. Police didn't need to be there in the first place. When they arrived, they could have used other means to subdue him, but used live fire. This is why we need other ways to keep our communities safe, to protect folks who are suffering, to support people struggling with addiction and mental illness."

According to Buckner, Jack told him Penny only had a Coca-Cola bottle, but according to the Los Angeles Police Departments press release, it states that Penny picked up a three-foot wooden plank which made them further fear for their lives.

"Penny refused to drop the bottle and approached officers. The officers deployed a taser, however it appears the darts did not strike Penny. Penny then armed himself with a three-foot-long wooden plank and again approached the officers, which resulted in an Officer-Involved- Shooting."

Penny is recovering from non-life threatening gunshot wounds and is in stable condition while in jail.

Buckner is working on getting Penny released so he can assist the homeless man in getting the proper medical care and justice he deserves.

In a Facebook message interview, Photography is Not a Crime spoke with Buckner and he believes Penny is charged with felony resisting arrest and assault with a deadly weapon and believes he is being held on $125,000 bail.

The police press release does not specify what Penny was charged with but they will probably accuse him of some type of assault against police officers.

Comments (4)

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No. 1-4

judgebison

Aug 21

I am an eldery disabled vereran and former police officer and every time I get a call to purchase one of those panic buttons I ask why would I want one so the police will be called for an emergency and come shoot my dogs, taze me and kill me?

Murphychris402090

Aug 20

Shows you who the real threat to public saftey is cops kill more people every year than any mass shooting event. These men and women are not peace officers but enemy combatants and the politicians in this country want to disarm us so we can't fight back or defend our selves. We have a standing army made up of a para military made up of so called peace officers we are at war and this war is being waged by over reaching government and its state santioned execution squads these men and women are an existential threat to our lives liberty our property our children our pets and our elders when you view the public you swoar an oath to protect as the enemy you are no longer a peace officer but an enemy combatant on our soil stand tall stand firm stand resolute and do not waiver we need to stand together as one agianst these terrorist with a gun an a badge i served 10 years as a seabee with three tours of duty and just because im out does no mean i forgot my oath to defend the constitution and the american people against all enemies foreign and i will highlight this one DOMESTIC IN THE FAMOUSE WORDS OF BEN FRANKLIN THOSE WHO WOULD SACRIFICE ESSENTIAL LIBERTIES FOR SECURITY DESERVE NEITHER THEY WANT US DIVIDED ON ALL FRONTS RACE CREED RELIGION THEY ENSTOW FEAR IN THE POPULATION TO TURN IT ON ITSELF AND THAN COME IN AND SAY THEY HAVE THE ANSWER WHEN THERE THE VERY ONES WHO CREATE THE. CHAOS WAKE UP PEOPLE